The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-03-09
4 ouAINr spANIsH CUSTOM.
ms ola Time Amo.-m.nt Or ca.,.ron.
Notwithstanding s,orf

NE Old Time Amus-msnt OF cascarono
Breal<inE-Exei.Ing sport.
Those who are acquainted with the Gus
toms OF old Spanish towns IN California
know what cascarones are, and are prob
ably familiar with the ways of using
them and the additional enjoyment they
lend TO al dances where they are used.
TO such Of our readers who are not well
posted IN the matter we viii attempt to
give few words Of explanation.
The origin Of the custom of cascarone
breaking is probably surrounded with as
inlpenetrable mystery as the identity of
the "Man in the Iron Mask. " It was
brought to California by the early Span
isli families from Mexico, and up to with
IN a few years past it was an attractive
feature of every dance given during a
certain portion of the year. Cascarone
season begins. according TO custom, at 12
O'Clock Christmas night and lasts till Ash
Wednesday, and any one of our old citi-
Eslis can tell of the grand times at casca-
rome balls IN the flush days when the
custom was at its height. Dances were
OF almost nightly occurrence then, and
hundreds of dozens OF caScarones were
broken IN an evening, and many poor
family derived . handsome income from
the manufacture and FAle of cascaroneS.
The sold at 81 dom In the carly part
Of the evening, and IN the s.wee sma'
hours. when the commodity became
scarce, an ounce of golddist has been
known to be given for a single dozen.
Many interesting stories could be told
of the cascarone balls of the past, but
only one VIII be mentioned as an in
49,
feature of the halls. On one occasion. at
4 ball given at the residence of Don JoSo
AhresO. Pete Serrano, then a muchacho,
WAS on hand selling cascarones. a gem
tlenlan approached and asked what he
would take for his cascarones. s.One
dollar dozen" was the answer. allow
many have you" was tho next inquiry.
''Forty dozen" stAn right, III take
then" Taking the basket, he startcl
down the hall. but had not taken a dozen
steps when he was surrounded by a
number of young ladies, and in a moment
oil hands were diving into the basket,
coming out with dOublellandsfuI and
crushing them ON his heal, while he
manfuIly strove to return few OF the
compliments he received. In fiyo minutes
not one of the forty dozen cascarones re-
manned whole. Tho mo(IIGs operandi of
cRscarnne making IS very simple, and
about "a follows: Into an empty eggshell
whole, except for an opening in one
end Just large enough to remove the
original cOntents-is placed about a tea
spoonful of finely chopped paper of
various bright coIors and gold tinsel;
then the opening Is neatly ciuscI by
passing a piece of coIored paper over it,
and then the cascarone is all ready for
use.
InMexico, In the good old times, crlando
habia mucho orc, gold dust mixed with
diamond dust, was often used to fill the
eGgshellS at the swell fandangoes given
by the old grandees. And it Is done
occasionally nowadays by some of the
wealthy old DOns who wish to do the
thing up in style. Other WAYS of filling
the shells was to use finally pcrfumed
powder, and sometimes rare and costly
perfumes were used. Very often the
shells were beautifully decorated. and
sometimes hand painted. In Monterey,
before the decline of the custom, the shells
were often colOrel In fancifuI designs like
Easter eggs, and Mt other times tastefully
decorated with different colors of paper.
Chopped paper and tinsel wcrc usually
put IN the shells, but OF more than one
occasion gold dollar pieces were used
one IN each shell Spiced candy was often
used, and sometimes powder and I,crfUml-
cry Housewives reliSioulsly save the
shells Of all the eggs they use and put
them away until cascaronc season comes
around
In cascarone breaking it IS not neces-
sary that one should he acquainted: In
fact, it Is a sort of .-masliing'' proceeding
all through The act of breaking a cas-
caronc on another's head is to be con-
siderei n compliment by the recipient,
who Is in honor bound to return it at
the first opportunity. The proper way
to break them Is to crush the shell
IN the hand over the PERSONS head,
allowing its contents to fall on the head.
In the excitement of the amusement,
however, the shell Is more frequently
broken on the head, regardless of locality
or force used. and is oftentiIneS suggestive
of anything but amiable feeling on the
part of the bestower. When the ice Is
once broken by some adventurous maiden
or Plucky man the contagion soon
spreads. and in short time everybody is
chasing around the room, breaking cas-
caroncs Unfortunately, and receiving
them from all sides. These mock battles
usually occur between dances. Years
ago n sort of game was played in the
breaking of cascarOnes. 1t was an OBJ
ject-likc IN the old game of s.tag''-to
break the last carcarone on another. The
one breaking the last was allowed the
privilege of asking the other every time
they met: How are my chickens" and
tho other would be expected to give a
present for the benefit of the chickens
candy. etc, being usually given. This
was allowed to be kept UP until the next
cascIrOnc dance. when the game was all
played Over.-Monterey Cali Argus.